Rotary-drilling machine



May 10, 1927. v

H. M. HARRIS ET AL ROTARY DRILLING MACHINE Filed Apiil' 20 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 May 10 1927. 1,628,363

H. M. HARRIS ET AL ROTARY DRILLING MACHINE Filed April 20, 1925 2 SheetS Sheet 2 Patented May iii), 1927.

. MNITED stars EU M. HARRIS AND OLIVER H. ATTBIDGE, OF CHATTANOOGA; TENNESSEE, .ASSIGNORS E L'UCE'Y MANUFACTURING CORI-QRATION, OI CHAT'IANGOGA, TENNESSEE, A 603- ?GE-ATION' OF TENNESSEE.

BGTABY-DZBJILEING MAC! This invention relates to improvements in oil well drilling apparatusand particularly to what are commonly known in the art as rotaries, this machine being utilized for actually carrying on the drilling operation and for connecting together and disconnecting sections of the well casing.

One object is to provide arotary having a substantially plane upper face, that is, one in which the upper face of the inner table which supports the work grip ing means and the upper face oi the outer ring through whhgi rotary motion is imparted to the table are ush with one another.

When the well is being sunk the driven ring and the table supporting the work gripping means are locked together. for simultaneous rotation, as is well known, and when it is desired to rotate one section of the casing while the next adjacent section is held fast,.as when two sections are being connected together or disconnected, the. inner table is locked against rotation while the driven ring is'rotated, said ring and table'being, at-

this time, provided with breakout posts for supportlng tongs which clamp the casing sections In known prior constructions,

where it is desired to lock the ring and table together, it has been necessa to rotate either the ring or the table with respect to the other until the locking devices havebeen brought into registry with one another and when it is desired to lock the table against rotation it has also been necessary to rotate said table with respect Ito its sup orting base to bring certain otherlockin e ements into proper. relative positions w ere they may rooperate with one anpther. The present invention, therefore, seeks to rovide means for locking the table and ring together and means for locking the table and base together with'but little, if any, adjustment of the table and ring with respectto each other or of the table with respect to the base.

To reduce the friction between the mov-, ing parts of the rotary suitable anti-friction elements are provided in the. base. for suportin the inner table and said table has a we I lubricated way in which the driven ring tialtha't these hearings, as well as other portions oi the rotary where friction might be may rotate. It is, of course, essen generated, should be properly lubricated and the present invention seeks to provide a novel lubricating system for these parts.

, Under ordinary operating conditions the sockets in the ring for the breakout posts often become filled with water, mud or other foreign substances, and a further object of the present invention is to prevent this accumulation of such substances in said breakout posts. As such substances should also be prevented from coming in contact with the anti-friction elements and other lubricating parts, thepresent invention further seeks to rovide means for rendering it impossible or water, mud and the like gaining access to said bearings.

With these and otherobjects in view the invention consists in certain novel details of construction and combinations and arrange ments of parts all as will hereinafter be more fully described and the novel features thereof pended aims.

In the accompanying drawings,

Figure 1 is a plan view of a rotary drilling apparatus constructed in accordance withthe present invention.

Fig.2 is a sectional view on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fi 3 is similar-view on the line 33 of Flg. 1.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view on the HUGH of, Fig. 1. l

'In accordance with usual practice the entirerotary is supported upon any desired form of frame work 10 upon which is directlg superimposed the base not the rotary.

tatably supported upon anti-friction ele- -ments 12 in the base 11 is the inner table 13 having a central bore for the reception of work gripping means which may consist of a master bushing 14 and the drive bushing 15 through which the well casing or the stem of the swivel extends. there is an outer circular driving ring 16 rotatably supported upon table 13, there being a metal to metal contact between said parts and 'said ring 16 being adapted to be driven by a shaft 18 provided with a, pinion 19 that meshes with a ring gear 20 on the driving rin The shaft 18 may be supported on the rame work in any suitable way, two longitudinally spaced roller bearing particularly pointed out in the ap c For rotating the "table v in order that the upper surfaces of the table and ring may lie flush with one another one of said members is formed with an annular projection which is received between vertically spaced shoulders on the other, the top of said annular projection being spaced far enough below the uppermost surface of the rotary so as to permit the upper shoulder on the other member to overlie it and at the same time be flush with the upper face of the member on which said projection is formed. in the preferred eon structionthe ring is formed with an annular interior projection 23 which is received between vertically spaced shoulders 24, 25, on the exterior of the table so that the upper shoulder -may overlie the projection on the ring while at the same time the upper surface of said shoulder will be located in the same horizontal plane as the upper surface of said ring. The shoulder 24 has formed therein the way in which said ring runs.

lVith the projection 23 received between the shoulders on the table, assembly and disassembly of the rotary is greatly facilitated by forming the table in sections, the lower sections of the table being indicated by the numeral 26 and the upper section on which is formed the shoulder 25 being indicated by the numeral 27. In assembling the rotary the lower section 26 is first placed upon the bearings 12, the drive ring 1(S-is then positioned upon the table 13, and the other section 27 of the table is then positioned inside the drive ring, after which the two sections of the table are rigidly secured together by suitable fastening elements such as bolts and nuts indicated at 28. It will be understood that the bushings are not present in the central bore of the table at this time and ready access may, therefore, be had to the fastening bolts. Likewise, when the rotary is taken down, the bushings are first removed to permit removal of the bolts. The upper section 27 of the table may then be removed.

When therotary is used for drilling the driving ring is locked to the table so they rotate. together on the bearings 12. Heretofore. these parts. have usually been locked together by a pawl on the ring adapted to engage in a recess in the table but this arrangement possesses disadvantages in that the recess fills up with dirt and secondly, the ring having previously been moving in dependently of the table, it often occurs that the recess and pawl are anywhere from a :few degrees to one hundred and eighty degrees apart, thus rendering it necessary "to rotate either the table or ring relatively to the other to bring the pawl and recess in. registry. In the present case, however, these disadvantages are overcome by providing locking means that cannot clog up with foreign matter and that will be substantially in registry in any position of the ring and table. This novel arrangement comprises one or more projections and a. c0ntinuous series of indentations on the two members, the indentations preferably taking the form of a continuous series of closely spaced recesses 56 around the periphery of the upper section 27 of the table while the cooperating means consist of a plate 58 slidably secured in a slot 29 in the ring 16 and provided with one or more, usually about four, projections or teeth 30. By making the width of the teeth a little less than the space between adjacent recesses it is apparent that the teeth or projections and the recesses will always be so positioned as to enable the projections to enter a correspond ing number of recesses with but little, it any, adjustment of the table and ring. Furthermore, by having the recesses formed in the periphery of the table they can be formed with open bottoms so that no foreign matter can accumulate in them. Suitable means are provided for sliding plate 58 back and forth, the mechanism contemplated comprising a cam 31 journaled on a vertical axis on the ring and working in a slot 32 in the plate. The cam is held down on the ring by a spring 33 interposed between it and an overhanging portion of said ring and by rocking a hand lever 34 on the earn, the plate may he slid back and forth to move the projections into. or out of engagementwith the recesses in the table.

As has been stated the rotary is also us'ed for breaking or making joints in the string of casing and under these circumstances the projections must be disengaged and table locked against rotation while the ring alone is rotated. To lock the table against rotation for this work there is a vertically disposed pin slidably held in the base it by a cam 36 on a horizontally disposed shaft 1%? journaled in said base. Vhen the table is rotating with the ring the upper end of the pin lies below the top face of the base but when the table is to be locked against rotation, shaft 37 is rocked by a hand lever thereby causing cam 36 to elevate the pin above the base against. the tension of spring 39. When elevated, the upper end of pin 35 is received in one of a continuous, circular series of sockets 40 in the bottom lace of the table and by locating adjacent sockets close together, there will be little or no nocessity of rotating the table on the base to bring a socket into registry with the pin.

The usual breakout posts for the tongs are.

supported in the sockets ell and 452 in the table and ring when the oints are being too lllfi system hereinafter described.

made or broken as will be understood, and the posts and tongs are not, therefore, illustrated It is also a common occurrence for the breakout post sockets to fill up with foreign material, such as mud being washed in the sockets. For this reason each socket in the present apparatus has a drainage passage near its bottom to prevent the collection of mud and water therein. The drain passage for the socket 42 in the ring is shown at 43 leading from said socket to the periphery of the ring and the passage for socket 41 in the table is shown at 44. Passage 44 leads to the central bore as mud between the table and bushings will do no harm whereas, should the mud get between the table and ring it would have access to the lubricating In this connection, attention is called to the fact that mud or the like entering the space between the ring and table, at the top of the latter,

cannot gain access to said lubricating system in the present rotary. This is prevented by interposing packing 45 between the table shoulder 25 and ring flange 23, the packing preferably being secured in an annular recess in a bead 46 formed on the up.- per face of said flange. Also the accumulation of mud or water in this space is prevented by one or more drains or ducts 47 leading to the breakout post socket 42 from a groove 48 formed in the upper face of ring flange 23 at a point intermediate the I head 46 and the outer edge of shoulder 25.

In the preferred arrangement for lubricating the rotary, a reservoir 49 is provided 'n the ring 16 and communicates through suitable ducts with the contacting portions of the ring and table. A bath of oil is thus provided for the way in which the ring ro tales. the oil collecting in said way until it overflows the outer side wall of the way, from whence it flows downwardly between the lower table section and a depending skirt 50 on the ring, lubricating the bearing surfaces of these portions. Passage of oil from the ,inner to the outer side of the way is permit-- ted by the provision of radial ducts 57 in the bottom face of ring 23. By providing a series of ducts 51 in the skirt 50, a portion of the oil will be diverted to lubricate the bearing surfaces of said skirt and the hold down ring 52 which is generally used for holding the table and ring on the base It. ear on the cooperating surfaces of the drive ring and the hold down ring may be compensated for by the use of shims 53.

The oil flowing down betweenthe skirt 50 and the lower table section is caught in a trough or reservoir 54 in base 11 until it After the oil has accumulated in the trough to this extent it will flow into and collect in the raceway of bearings 12, providing a bath for the latter. From this raceway, the oil will flow toward the central bore of the table, the inner side wall of said raceway being lower than the other, so that it will then lubricate the bearing surfaces of a skirt 55 on the table and the adjacent encircling portion of the base 11. In this way the .antifriction elements 12 as well as substantially all of the friction surfaces in the rotary are lubricated from a single source of supply and ittwill be noted that there is little likeli hood of foreign substances coming in contact with the lubricant after it leaves the reservoir 49 by the packing 45.

What we claim is:

1. In a rotary drilling machine, the combination of a base, a concentrically arranged inner table having upper and lower sections and outer ring supported by said base, said inner table having a central bore, and work gripping means in said central bore, an integrally formed portion of the lower section of said inner table projecting radially outward to form a ledge on which the ring is, supported and a portion of the upper section of said inner table projecting radially outward to overlie said ring with the top surfaces of said table and ring lying in the same plane. I

2. In arotary drilling machine, the combination of a base, an inner table formed of upper and lower sections rotatably supported on the base, an outer ring, an integral annular ledge on the lower section of the innor table underlying said ring, a bearing surface on said ledge on whichthe ring is rotatably supported, and aprojection on the upper section of said inner table overlying said ring with the top surfaces of said table and ring lying in the same plane.

3. In a rotary drilling machine, the combination of a base, a concentrically arranged inner table having upper and lower sections and outer ring supported by said base, said inner table having a central bore, work gripping means in said central bore, an integral portion of the lower'sect-ion of said inner table projecting radially outward to form a ledge on which the ring is supported and a portion of the upper section of said inner table projecting radially outward to overlie said ring, hold down means for-limiting axial movement of the table and ring with respect to the base, and means for releasably locking the table and ring together for simultaneous rotation.

4. In a rotary drilling machine, the com bination of a base, an inner rotary table bearing on the base, an outer rotary ring, saidinner table being formed in sections with an integral portion of one sect-ion'providing a bearing for the ring and a portion of the other section overlying said ring, and

work grippin means carried by said table, the upper sur aces of said ring and the overlying portion of the table lying in the same plane.

5. In a rotary drilling machine, the combination of a base, a rotary inner table having a central bore and an annular recess in its exterior surface forming upper and lower shoulders, and an outer rotatable ring'supported'on the lower shoulder of the table with said upper shoulder overlying a portion thereof, the top surface of the upper shoulder and said ringlying in the same plane.

6. In a rotary drilling machine. the combination of a base. a rotary inner table, work gripping means carried by said table. an outer rotatable ring, and means for locking said table and ring together for simultaneous rotation, said means comprising a continuous series of indentations around the table, a comparatively short series of projections movably supported onthering, and means for moving said short series of projections into and out of engagement with a corresponding number of indentations in the table.

7. In 1i rotary drilling machine, the combination of a base, a rotary inner table, work gripping means carried by said table. an outer rotatable ring, and means for locking said table and ring together for sin'iultaneous rotation. said means comprising a continuous series of closely positioned indentations ex-' tending around the table, a plate slidably mounted on the ring, a comparatively small number of projections on said plate. and means for sliding said plate toward and from the table to move said teeth into and out of engagement with the indentations in said table. I

8. In a rotary drilling machine. the combination of a basc,.a rotary inner table, work gripping means carried by said table, an outer rotatable .ring. and means for locking said table and ring together for simultaneous rotation, said means comprising a continuous series of closely positioned indentations extending entirely around the table, a

slidable plate on the ring. a plurality of projections on said plate. a cam cooperating said plate and means for rotatingsaid cam to slide the latter toward or away from the table and thereby effect the engagement or disengagement of said projections and indentations.

9. In a rotary drilling machine. the combination of a base, an inner rotary table on the base, work gripping means carried by the table, an outer rotatable ring. said table being formed in'two-sections each of sa d sections having a series of recesses therein, removable means for rigidly connecting said sections, a plurality of projections on the ring cooperating with said series of recesses for lockin the table and ring together and means on t e base adapted to cooperate with the other series of recesses for holding the table against rotation;

10. In a rotary drilling machine, the combination of a base, an inner rotary table, an outer ring having breakout post sockets extending below its upper surface with a clean out passage leading from each socket to a side face of said ring, means for driving said ring and table, and means for locking the table against rotation.

11. In a rotary drilling machine, the combination of a base, an inner rotary table adapted to support work grippin means, an outer rotary ring, said table am ring partially overlapping one another at their upper surfaces, said ring having a breakout post socket therein with a drainage passage leading from said socket to an exterior face of the rin to prevent accumulation of foreign matter m said socket and a drainage passage leading to said socket from the space between the overlapping portions of the table and ring. and means for locking the table against rotation.

12. In a rotary well drilling machine, the combination of a base, a rotary inner table having a central bore and adapted to carry work gripping means, a rotary outer ring having an inwardly extending portion forming a ledge underlying a portion of the inner table, said ring having sockets therein for breakout posts with drainage passages extending from the outer edge of said ledge to said sockets and from said sockets to the exterior face of said ring, and means for locking the inner table against rotation.

13. In a rotary well drilling machine, the combination. of a base, a rotary inner table having a central bore and adapted to carry work gripping means, a rotary outer ring having an inwardly extending portion forming a ledge underlying a portion of the inner table, said ring having sockets therein for breakout posts with drainage passages extending from the outer edge of said ledge to said sockets and from said sockets to the exterior face of said ring, means between the inner edge of the ledge and the first mentioned passages for preventing passage of water and other foreign substances to the inner edge of said ledge.

14. In a rotary well drilling machine, the combination of a base, a rotary inner table having a central bore and adapted to carry work gripping means, a rotary outer ring having an inwardly extending portion forming a ledge underlying a portion offthe inner table, said ring having sockets therein for breakout posts with drainage passages extendin from the outer edge of said ledge to sai sockets and from said sockets to and packing the exterior face of said ring, in the upper face of the ledge for preventluo ing water and other foreign substances passing inwardlylto the inner edge of said ledge.

15. In a rotary well drilling machine, the combination of .a base, an inner table adapted to support work gripping means, a driving ring rotatable on said table, means for looking said ring and table together for simultaneous rotation on said base, a bearing surface on said table for said ring, and antifriction elements between said table and base, there being a lubricant reservoir in 7 said ring-for supplying lubricant to the in sai bearin surface 0 the table, and a trough base beneath thering and outer surface of the table to receive lubricant overflowing from said. bearing surface, said trough being located adjacent the bearin between the table and base and draining in a direction toward said bearings to lubricate the latter:

16. In a rotary well drilling machine, the combination of a base, an inner table adapted to support work gripping means, a driving ring rotatable on said table, means for locking said ring and table together for simultaneous rotation on said base, a bearing surface on "said table for said ring, antl-friction elements between said table and base and a hold down ring overhanging a-portion of the driving ring, there bein a lubricant reservoir for supplying lubricant to the bearing surface of said table, to said antifriction elements and -to the abutting surfaces of the two rings.

17. In a rotary drilling machine, the combination of a base having a central bore, a table rotatable on said base, said base having a lubricant receiving recess and a raceway therein, anti-friction elements in said raceway for supporting said table, a drive 40 ring rotatable on said table, a bearing surface on said table for said ring, and a lubricant reservoir in said ring communicating with the bearing surface of said table, there being a space between said table and ring through which lubricant will flow from the bearing surface of the table into the recess in the base, the side wall of said recess nearest the anti-friction elements on the base being lower than the opposite side wall whereby excess lubricant'flowin into the recess will overflow toward sai anti-friction elements.

18. In a rotary drilling machine, the combination ofarbase having a central bore, a

surface of the table into the recess in the base, the side wall of said recess nearest the anti-friction elements on the base being lower than the o posi-te side wall whereb excess lubricant owing into the recess wi l overflow toward said anti-friction elements, and the side of the raceway in the base nearest the central bore being lower than the other side wall of said raceway whereby lubricant will flow from said raceway to the surface of said central bore.

- 4 HU M. HARRIS.

OLIVER H. ATTRIDGE. 

